


I'm Listening

by CourtesyTrefflin



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avenger Loki (Marvel), Awesome Frigga (Marvel), Big Brother Thor (Marvel), Brotherly Love, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Canon Divergence - Avengers (2012), Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Mind Control, Minor Jane Foster/Thor, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Torture, Protective Thor (Marvel), Steve Rogers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:34:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29291436
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CourtesyTrefflin/pseuds/CourtesyTrefflin
Summary: Loki talks. Thor listens. It changes everything. Or, Iron Man doesn't find Thor as quickly after he took Loki off the quinjet, and the brothers have a much needed conversation with unexpected revelations which sets off an unforeseen series of events.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Steve Rogers, Loki & Steve Rogers, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki & Tony Stark
Comments: 32
Kudos: 155





	1. Just This Once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My sister was wondering what would have happened if Tony hadn't attacked Thor when the latter was talking to Loki in Avengers, especially seeing as Thor seemed to be getting through to his brother. I wondered the same thing, so this fanfic was born. I hope y'all enjoy it! :D

Thor can't understand what is causing this. He wants desperately to hold onto Loki, to never let his brother go. He wants to demand to know _what happened._ What did he miss? How could things have come to this? He – he doesn't know. He thought he knew Loki, but after his brother fell into the Void, he realized that maybe he never knew him at all.

"I am a king!" Loki snarls angrily, glaring as Thor steps closer to him. _What caused this? What's wrong, brother? Tell me!_ He's never felt this helpless before. He doesn't know what to say, what to do. How can he talk sense into Loki – who was always the sensible one – if he doesn't even know what's wrong? He mourned his brother, for days, _weeks_ , and seeing him alive is still a shock. Loki isn't dead. He's alive. Here. Real.

"Not here!" Thor counters, stubbornly refusing to let go of that point. Loki might be unbalanced, unstable even, but Thor will not allow him to drag Midgard into his madness. Whatever ails him can be sorted out between the two of them. He grabs Loki's arm and shakes him roughly, as though it might bring him back to his senses. "You give up the Tesseract!" Thor continues unrelentingly, staring into Loki's eyes. "You give up this poisonous dream! You come home." He reaches up, clasping his brother's neck with his left hand as he always used to do when they were young. _Please, Loki. Please listen to me._ He's practically begging, but he doesn't care.

If it were in his power, he would drag Loki back to Asgard immediately and never let him go. He doesn't know how to deal with a situation where he's not in control. Nothing he can do will let him return to Asgard at will. He needs to get the Tesseract from Loki. This, none of this, makes sense. His brother never used to be like this, which begs the question: what happened when he fell from the Bifrost? Clearly, this – whatever _this_ is – has been building for some time, but it's all coming out now for whatever reason.

_"I remember a shadow. Living in the shade of your greatness." The words are filled, not with spite or resentment, as much as they are with pain, and it hurts Thor to hear it._

"I don't have it," Loki spits, his voice becoming taunting as he shakes his head slightly. Thor jerks back as anger rushes through him. "You need the cube to bring me hone, but I've sent it off I know not where." He's nearly smirking, and the blasé attitude enrages Thor. Loki thinks this is _funny?_ How can he do this? What's wrong with him? This isn't the brother Thor remembers.

 _"I have grown,_ Odinson _, in my exile," Loki boasts, but there's something there. Something Thor nearly misses. Fear. He can sense the fainted undertone of fear. He doesn't know why he's sensing it, but he's determined to find out._

Thor extends his hand, and Mjolnir flies to him. It's now or never. He has to lay everything out for Loki to make his brother understand. "You listen well, brother. I don't know what game you are playing, but I _will_ take you with me to Asgard where you belong." It's barely noticeable, but Thor senses Loki stiffen slightly at the words. He can't say anything right. Speech was his brother's gift, not his. He doesn't know how to talk so Loki sees what he's feeling.

"Not now, you won't," Loki shoots back, something akin to glee on his face. "You have no way off Midgard." He pauses, and Thor can almost see the gears turning in his mind as he puts his silver-tongue to work. "It must be frustrating that you can't smash your way through this like you do everything else."

" _Loki_." The name comes out as more of a growl. This is what Loki wants for whatever reason. He's deliberately trying to antagonize Thor into attacking him. He won't oblige. They've fought each other, of course, they have, but never with the intent to harm. If Thor gives in to his anger now, he could injure Loki. He doesn't want to do that. He doesn't want to continue ignoring his brother or doing whatever it is that has hurt him. He wants to make things right.

Thor holds onto that knowledge, inhaling slowly to reign in his temper. "Brother, please, I don't know what I did to you. I never intended to hurt you." He moves forward, searching Loki's face to gauge his reaction, but his expression remains blank.

"That's just it," Loki replies finally, glaring at him. "You never _meant_ to do anything, but you didn't care." There's a flicker of some emotion in his eyes, but it's gone before Thor can recognize it.

"I wasn't the best brother," Thor admits, silently willing Loki to understand. "I want to do things different." He pauses when Loki scoffs, but his brother doesn't interrupt, instead turning away to look at the mountain with disinterest. _Loki, don't shut me out this time. Please_. "You're my brother no matter what happens," he vows.

"Really," Loki drawls, lips curving into a vicious smile. " _Now_ you say all this, but it doesn't matter anymore." He turns back, meeting Thor's eyes. "I have learned much. You are not my brother. You want me as your trophy." The words hit a chord inside Thor, and he immediately wants to lash out, though he forces himself to refrain from doing so.

"No!" he protests, shaking his head, reaching out to clasp his brother's neck again. "That's not what I want. I've never wanted that!"

Loki raises an unimpressed eyebrow, but he doesn't try to pull away. He says one thing, but he's thinking another. Thor is almost surprised at how much he's able to recognize when he's not blinded by his own emotions. "Please, tell me what's wrong," Thor begs, letting his right arm, Mjolnir gripped in his hand, fall to his side.

Something flickers through his brother's eyes, and a prickle of uncertainty runs down Thor's spine. Loki is crafty and clever, but never once has he gotten the weird sensation of looking into someone else in his eyes. "Knock me unconscious." The words fall from Loki's mouth in a rush, as though he's trying to get them out in a limited space of time. "And get me out of here."

Thor blinks at him. "What?" he blurts out uncertainly, and just like that, Loki's expression is filled with malice again. The strangeness of the words holds his attention. That doesn't sound like anything his brother would say. Ever. He was asking – almost _begging_ – for Thor's help.

Loki grins, pulling away from Thor and turning around, taking a few steps away from him. No matter how strange the request, Thor feels that he needs to listen. He asked Loki to talk to him, and that's what he said. Without pausing to give himself a chance to convince himself otherwise, Thor swings his fist, slamming it into the back of Loki's head, knocking him unconscious. He drops Mjolnir, catching his brother's body as he crumples to the ground.

He needs to get his brother away from here, so the Midgardians won't find them. Shifting Loki in his arms, he marvels at how light he is. Granted, Thor hasn't carried his brother for many years, but he still thought he'd weigh more than this. Pushing the thought aside, he tightens his grip with his left arm, reaching for Mjolnir with his right hand so he can fly them away. At that moment, a red and gold armored man lands on the ground in front of him.

"Give Loki back to us," he orders, face plate lifting to reveal the man behind it. Thor frowns at this mortal who would dare to command him around.

"My brother is where he belongs," he snaps, tightening his grip on Mjolnir. If there's going to be a fight, he'll have to be careful. He won't risk injuring Loki, but he will protect him.

"In case you didn't notice," the man retorts, "Your _brother_ has killed dozens of people. He will be brought to justice."

"You have no idea what you're dealing with," Thor warns, temper rising. He takes a few steps back before kneeling, laying Loki down on the ground. If he must chase away this mortal, so be it. He failed to protect his brother once; he won't do so again.

The man raises an eyebrow, an unimpressed look in his brown eyes. "Shakespeare in the park? Doth mother know you weareth her drapes?" the mortal quips. It's supposed to be an insult – it is one – but Thor won't let it affect him.

"This is beyond you, metal man," he growls, raising Mjolnir. "Loki is under my protection, and he will face Asgardian justice. You will not take him."

"He gives up the Cube, he's all yours," the man replies, undaunted. "Until then, stay out of my way… tourist." The helmet snaps closed, and he stands there, unmoving, clearly waiting to see Thor's reaction.

Thor throws Mjolnir, and it slams into the man's chest, sending him flying backwards off the mountain. He pulls it back, holding it loosely in his hand as he turns towards his brother. The sound of movement draws his attention, and Thor barely has time to duck as an energy blast flies past where he'd been standing. The mortal is hovering in the air, hand extended.

"You won't take my brother from me," Thor vows, drawing lightning from the sky and blasting his opponent. Another energy beam hits him, and he's thrown backwards, landing only a few feet from Loki. A quick glance tells him that his brother is still unconscious.

"We need the Cube!" the man yells at him, picking himself up from the ground. Thor can't see his face, but he's probably glaring.

"I need time to talk to him!" Thor explodes, lightning flashing in the sky overhead in response to his anger. "I'm not letting you lock him up." Normally, he'd readily attack, but Loki is defenseless. There's a real danger that he could be seriously injured.

"You have no say on the matter," the mortal taunts, raising his hands, palms glowing as he prepares to fire another energy blast at Thor. Lunging forward, Thor grabs his wrists, using his strength to begin crushing the weapon system on his hands. Realizing what Thor's doing, the man fires, the bolts slamming into Thor and throwing him backwards again. The blasts would have seriously injured or killed most humans, but it only minorly wounds Thor.

The man – Iron Man – lunges forwards, trying to tackle Thor to the ground, but Mjolnir throws him off course, and he's slammed into the side of the mountain. Somehow, he manages to avoid being trapped under it, and he's flying straight towards Thor just as Mjolnir lands in his outstretched hand. He lands around four feet away, and as Thor prepares to launch another attack to chase him away, something bounces off him before hitting Iron Man and flying away.

Thor whirls to see another man standing there wearing a blue suit which clearly isn't armor, though it's definitely a uniform. A shield with a star in the center is in his hand, and he's watching them with exasperation on his face. "Hey! That's enough!" he orders, moving closer. "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here." Those words are addressed to Thor, who subtly shifts so that he's between Loki and them.

"I've come here to put an end to Loki's schemes," Thor declares firmly, choosing not to add that he also has other reasons. He wants to get his brother back.

"Then prove it," the newcomer challenges. "Put the hammer down."

"Um, yeah, no," Iron Man blurts out. "Bad call! He loves his hammer!" Snarling, Thor backhands him, sending him plummeting over the edge of the mountain.

"I am not giving my brother over to you or anyone," Thor hisses.

The newcomer glances past Thor, looking at Loki's prone figure. "What happened to him?" he wants to know. "Is he injured?"

"He is only unconscious," Thor tells him reluctantly as Iron Man flies up, hovering a distance away. "I intend to speak with him when he regains consciousness. He will answer my questions." He tries to sound more confident than he feels.

He can only hope that Loki will talk to him. He's desperate for answers, for a way to mend their brotherhood again. When he thought Loki was dead, it took months for the sharpest edge of his grief to be dulled enough for him to begin spending time with his friends as normal. That time alone made him realize how much his own actions had pushed Loki away. It had never been his intention, but that hardly matters. He did it, and he needs to fix it.

"We cannot just release him," the newcomer explains patiently. "It was hard enough to arrest him in the first place. Letting him go will mean taking the risk that he will cause further damage to Earth. We cannot permit that."

Thor glowers at him. "Loki will be with _me_ ," he reminds him. "I will not be letting him go." He pauses, a mirthless smile twisting up his lips. "If my brother does not wish to be in your custody, you will find that you will be unable to hold him. There are few who can contain his seidr, and Midgard has none of those abilities."

To Thor's surprise, that actually makes the other man falter. He looks at Iron Man before sighing. "Very well," he concedes slowly and with obvious reluctance. "You may take Loki with you, but we will remain nearby. If you wish to accompany us back to SHIELD, we will take you there, but in the meantime, we must keep an eye on your brother."

Thor mulls over the offer, realizing that it's probably his best option. "Fine," he agrees. "I agree." Is it his imagination, or did he just hear Loki chuckle? He glances over his shoulder at Loki, who still seems as unconscious as he did before, but his breathing isn't as slow and steady. He's awake.

"I'm Steve Rogers," the man – Rogers – introduces himself, "And that is Tony Stark, also known as Iron Man. He will fly with you and watch from afar."

Thor nods before turning back to Loki. "Are you going to get up?" he demands.

Loki twitches, a smirk on his lips as he opens his brilliant green eyes and looks up at Thor. "Yes, in a bit," he replies. "You hit me hard, and I have a headache. You're welcome anyways."

His tone is much lighter, and he actually sounds like the brother Thor remembers. Thor finds himself smiling at the familiarity of their interaction. "Now is hardly a time to be napping, brother," Thor reminds him playfully, "Unless you would I carry you away like a child?"

Loki rolls his eyes before standing up, brushing dust off his clothes. Thor keeps a steadying hand on his arm, ignoring Rogers and Stark as they argue behind him. Clearly, Stark isn't terribly keen on being given the mission to watch Loki, and he's protesting, but snice he's apparently the only one who can fly, he doesn't really have a choice.

"Hang on tight," Thor warns, putting his left arm around Loki's waist and holding him tightly. His brother doesn't hesitate, wrapping his arms around Thor in preparation for the flight. Thor spins Mjolnir, not looking back at Rogers or Stark as he flies up into the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this maybe consider reading or leaving kudos...? :)
> 
> The next chapter will be released in two weeks! :D


	2. Together You and I

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm speechless at the attention this story has received. Here's the second chapter for all you fans! =)

"Where are we going?" Loki calls on top of the wind rushing past them.

"I don't know," Thor answers, eyes scanning the dark ground. "Somewhere more suitable for a conversation." He's searching for an out of the way field which will give them plenty of privacy. He finds one much faster than he'd anticipated and lands amid the tall grass. Loki steps away shakily, half-sitting, half-collapsing to the ground. Thor drops down next to him and just sits there for a moment, staring out across the plain.

He can hear the distant sound of Stark landing, but the man is too far away to hear anything. He'll be watching, just as promised. "I missed you," Thor says softly, slipping an arm around Loki's shoulders and pulling him close. He hardly knows why he's confessing this except that he feels he needs to say it. There were so many days of longing, of regret, and he wants – _needs_ – his brother to know that his presence wasn't just forgotten. Though not at present, he can still feel the ache, the desperation to keep Loki at his side, come what may.

Loki twitches but doesn't say anything, so Thor presses forward. "There were times when I didn't think I could go on. I thought – I hoped that –" Norns, it sounds childish to say aloud, and he's suddenly afraid to tell his brother lest he brush it away, but isn't that exactly what Thor did to Loki? At the very least, he owes him the truth. "– That we'd always stay together, fight together, do everything together."

He shakes his head. "It was stupid, I know." He exhales slowly, eyes roaming across the darkened horizon, the moonlight shining down and casting shadows on the ground.

"Was it?" Thor barely hears the words at first but turns his head to meet his brother's eyes. Loki searches his face, something almost vulnerable in his gaze. "Was it stupid?" he repeats.

"Maybe not," Thor concedes after a heartbeat, "But it's childish."

"It's –" Loki stops talking and looks away, seeming unwilling to finish the thought aloud.

"Tell me, brother," Thor encourages gently, rubbing Loki's shoulder soothingly.

"It's not impossible if you want it," Loki finally murmurs, still staring straight ahead.

"I do. More than anything." Thor doesn't even stop to think about the words; they're something he knows to be true deep inside him and speaking them is freeing. "I thought the world of you, Loki, and I – I know I did a poor job of showing it, but I was too arrogant. Still am, I suppose. But – but I want to do things different. I want – I want _you_."

Loki looks at him wordlessly, his right hand creeping over and touching Thor's leg lightly, and Thor finds that he doesn't need to say anything else, because from his brother's eyes, he can tell that he _knows_. He hasn't felt this close to Loki since they were little, probably before Thor met Sif and the Warriors Three. It hurts, realizing that it's been so many centuries. All that time… did Loki want him? Was he too afraid to reach out after Thor brushed him aside, taking his presence for granted? Thor can't – he can't do it again. He doesn't want to, knowing how easily he could lose his brother.

And he still doesn't know what happened. After he knocked Loki unconscious, his brother's behavior changed dramatically. He doubts Loki will want to talk about it, but Thor needs to know. "Brother, tell me, please," he whispers beseechingly, "What happened when you fell from the Bifrost. I want to understand."

Loki's breath catches, and Thor can feel a tremor run through his body. Almost without thinking, Thor winds his other arm around his brother, tightening his grip as though it will protect him from the world. "Does it matter?" Loki's words are dull and emotionless, but Thor can tell that he doesn't really mean it. Even if part of him doesn't want to talk about it, part of him clearly does. And Thor needs to understand.

"Of course," Thor murmurs.

Loki sighs heavily, shifting to a more comfortable position and pressing his face against Thor's shoulder. "His name was Thanos." The words are mumbled, but Thor can still hear him. "He's a Titan." Loki shakes his head slightly. "I wanted to die when I fell into the Void, but he found me. He wants – he wants the Infinity Stones to decimate half the universe." His voice trembles as he continues. "He knew who I was; all the Nine do apparently." Yes, Thor knows that. Loki is a Sorcerer with unmatched skills. Somehow, he thinks he knows where this is going, and he almost regrets asking.

"He wanted me – my seidr –" Loki's voice breaks, and a sob wracks his body. Thor tightens his grip, holding his brother as he falls apart in his arms. He listens with growing horror and anger as Loki continues the tale, whispering the words between sobs, telling Thor how Thanos tortured him, breaking his body and mind so he would do the Titan's bidding.

Thor wants to apologize for his own role in Loki's suffering. He wants to beg his brother's forgiveness for not even realizing, for needing him to spell it out so he would know, but he keeps his mouth closed, blinking away his own tears as he holds his brother. This is wrong, it's an insult, a declaration of war against Asgard itself. If his father doesn't do something – and Thor doesn't know why he wouldn't – then he'll go alone. No one can hurt Loki so grievously and live. Thanos must pay for what he did.

Eventually, Loki's tears stop flowing, but he doesn't make a move to pull away from Thor, so Thor lets the silence drag on as he tries to come to terms with what happened. At some point, they'll need to prevent the Chitauri from attacking, but now isn't the time. Loki needs Thor to keep him together, and Thor has no objections with helping. It's been so long since his brother has needed him, so many years of hurtful insults from both of them. How could Thor have let things go this far? He should have been there when Loki found out he was Jotun. It would have spared them both so much pain.

"It'll be alright, brother. You'll see." Thor isn't sure who he's trying to reassure more, but Loki seems to accept the comforting words readily, relaxing completely against Thor and wrapping his arms around his brother's waist. Thor rests his head against his brother's, one hand absently fiddling with Loki's hair, while the other rubs him soothingly.

Thor doesn't know how long they sit there holding each other. It could be minutes or hours; time has no meaning to him. They have as much time as Loki needs. It's hard for him to accept that he came so close to losing his brother forever. If he hadn't tried to listen, where would they be now? Would Loki still be trapped in the grip of that monster, forced to carry out his bidding? Would they have fought each other to the death as Thor carried out his oath to protect Midgard? He doesn't want to know the answers. He has Loki and that's all that matters. They can figure out what to do from here. _Together_.

Eventually, Loki's breathing evens out as he slips into a light doze. Thor gently pulls his cape around both of them before laying back on the ground. They've slept in worse places, and sleep is exactly what they need most. Loki stirs, eyes opening. "Sleep, little brother," Thor mumbles. "I'll keep you safe." A fleeting smile crosses Loki's face as he shifts, pressing closer to Thor. Holding his brother close, Thor drifts off to sleep. His last conscious thought is that it's literally been centuries since they've slept together, with Thor promising to protect Loki.

When Thor awakens, the sun is shining down on both of them. Loki is still sleeping, making him look much younger than he really is. If only things could always be this peaceful for them. Maybe they can be. Thor finds himself wishing for the days before they became old enough that they began to grow apart. He puts the thoughts aside in favor of focusing on the current situation at hand. Like it or not, they should travel with Stark and Rogers back to SHIELD. Loki should be able to track down the ones who have the Tesseract and stop them.

As he's considering their options, Loki shifts next to him, sleepily opening his eyes and blinking. "Morning, brother." Thor keeps his voice steady and light, hoping to keep at bay the emotions evoked the night before. Loki was – Thor honestly doesn't know how to help his brother when he's like that. He thinks he did – he did the best he could – but protecting his brother from imaginary monsters at night is vastly different from keeping him safe from his own mind. He's not at all equipped to deal with this, but he's the only one who can.

Loki mumbles something unintelligible in reply. Thor can tell that a weight has been lifted from him. His brother still looks haunted to be sure, but the burden he seemed to be carrying no longer exists. After a moment, Loki sits up. Thor lays there a minute longer, staring up at the clear blue sky, reflecting his current mood. He feels completely at peace, despite the knowledge of what happened to his brother. They can fix things; Thor is certain of it.

"I haven't slept that well for a while," Loki comments conversationally.

Thor gives him a sideways glance. "Or at all," he points out bluntly, almost immediately regretting his words. He needs to stop talking before he thinks.

To his relief, Loki doesn't seem too bothered. He gives Thor a half-smile, though it doesn't reach his eyes. "True enough," he agrees, standing up.

Thor rises as well, right hand resting near Mjolnir where its attached to his belt. "I believe it would be best for us to go with Stark and Rogers," he tells Loki. "You said – we need to find the Tesseract before its used to open a portal."

Loki nods in agreement. "It'll be in Manhattan." His tone is clipped, and Thor knows he doesn't want to think about it. The sooner they get this over with the better, for everyone's sakes.

"Talk. You said _talk!_ " Stark lands in front of them, his unseen glare fixed on them both.

"We did talk," Thor defends himself, glowering right back.

The helmet flips up, and Stark doesn't look any happier than he sounded. His gaze flicks to Loki. "What's your excuse? Wait. Wait, you don't need one. Supervillain and all that. Yeah, got it."

"My brother is not a villain," Thor snarls, taking a step forward. Dark storm clouds begin gathering overhead, blocking out the sunlight. "I suggest you watch your tongue."

"No need to get so worked up, Point Break," Stark retorts, crossing his arms. "I'm sure you heard as well as I did what Loki's done. What we want to know now is what he's planning."

" _He_ is right here," Loki interjects before Thor can throw Mjolnir at Stark's head. "My brother and I must go to Manhattan. We can handle it from there."

"Manhattan, huh?" Stark looks him up and down, eyes narrowed. "Well, you're in luck, because we need to go back there today, and I think you won't be walking free when we do."

"Loki has no intentions of harming your world," Thor assures him, glancing at his brother quickly. His expression is shuttered, a sure sign that he doesn't wish the conversation to continue. Still, Thor has to give the Midgardians something or they won't trust him. "He has done nothing of his own free will." A warning note creeps into his tone, but he forces himself to refrain from sounding deliberately aggravating.

"You think I'm going to trust your word when you couldn't keep him from harming us in the first place?" Stark asks sharply.

Thor glowers at him. "You know nothing of what happened between us, so I suggest you keep your opinion to yourself."

Stark mutters something which sounds unflattering as his helmet closes. "They're bringing the quinjet, so you two better get ready to fly back to it." Without giving either of them a chance to reply, he blasts up into the air.

"Come, brother. Let's go." Loki nods silently in response, so Thor wraps an arm around his brother's waist, unsurprised when Loki grips onto him tightly. Spinning Mjolnir, Thor flies into the air, heading towards the quinjet as it slowly flies towards them. He lands inside, right behind Stark, and the ramp closes.

"Good. You're back." Rogers sounds honestly relieved as Loki steps away from Thor, scanning the others with wariness.

"We must get to Manhattan as soon as possible," Thor informs him. "Loki has told me that the Chitauri invasion was planned to occur there." Really, his brother doesn't want to be involved in this at all, but he'll help as needed. The least Thor can do is be the spokesman for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)
> 
> Chapter 3 will be out in two weeks. :P


	3. The Risks I Take

Rogers leans back against the wall, scrutinizing both of them. The quinjet's engines hum around them as the machine flies towards their destination. The sound lulls Thor into a sense of false security. He's sitting next to Loki, and though he's relaxed, his brother is extremely tense. His face is blank, but Thor knows he's scared.

"What's the plan, Loki?" he asks finally. "It would be helpful if we knew. If you were in our custody, if Thor hadn't come, what would you have done?"

Loki gives him a thin smile. "I wasn't going to do anything," he answers simply. "I was the distraction. Because you were focused on me, you didn't notice when Barton broke in to steal the iridium we needed."

"It was a good distraction," Stark mumbles, pulling his helmet off and studying Loki appraisingly. "I don't think anyone considered that. I mean, I probably would have figured it out because I'm a genius, but –"

"The size of your ego is frankly disturbing," Loki informs him with a sharp smirk.

Stark huffs, seeming prepared to start an argument, but Rogers holds out a hand to quiet him. "And then?" he queries. "After we imprisoned you in the Helicarrier. What plan did you have? Surely you must have known that you'd be placed in the most secure facility we have."

Loki scoffs. "Your pathetic Midgardian technology can't hold me. Few can keep me contained if I don't wish it." He pauses, clearly giving them a moment to absorb his words and their meaning. It's the truth. Thor knows little of the extent of Loki's seidr, but his brother is one of the strongest sorcerers he knows. Scratch that. Loki _is_ the most powerful sorcerer he knows. He is aware of few who can match his brother's skill.

"Barton and the others were supposed to go to Manhattan. I knew you would be holding me nearby," Loki explains. Thor finds himself nearly awed by the cunning which went into the planning. He's been on the receiving end of Loki's tricks and mischief, but this is much more. This was meant for sinister purposes. He finds himself thankful that he'd listened to Loki and broken him free from the Mind Stone's grip. What might have happened if he hadn't? It's not something he wishes to think about.

"And then?" Roger demands, narrowing his eyes.

Loki hesitates, before exhaling harshly. "I don't know," he admits. "I am – was, rather, connected mentally to the others. Now, I don't know what happened. Perhaps they were freed, though I doubt it. Presumably, they are under –" he cuts off, expression haunted as his gaze flicks downwards. Thor reaches out, resting a comforting hand on his arm.

"Under whom?" Stark demands, stepping forward. "Who _else_ is involved?"

"Thanos." Loki's tone is curt. "He is… not anyone you want to tangle with. If he has control of your friends' minds, there is no telling what they will do." In the tense silence, Thor can almost feel the others' unease. They're confused, uncertain if they can trust Loki's words and for good reason, but without telling them everything, there isn't much Thor can do.

"Surely you must have had a plan?" Rogers presses, raising an eyebrow.

"Not specifically," Loki admits. "The Tesseract would be used to open a portal and bring in the Chitauri army. I was to lead them. Now…" he shrugs.

"Can't you do something?" demands Stark. "Do some magic to find them and figure out what they're doing?"

Loki laughs mirthlessly. "That is not how seidr works. You mortals have very unusual views of sorcerer's abilities." But Thor knows that, in normal circumstances, Loki would have no problem with doing what Stark is asking. The only reason he's not is because his seidr has been severely weakened and depleted. The realization sends a dull throb of rage through him, prompting a random flash of lighting somewhere outside.

"You used your magic to control them in the first place, did you not?" Rogers wonders. Unlike Stark, he's level-headed and actually seems to be seeking a possible solution.

Loki shifts uncomfortably. "No." His voice doesn't betray anything. It's emotionless and detached, a mask Thor knows his brother only dons when the conversation becomes too much for him to handle. "I used the scepter. It contains the Mind Stone."

"Then use it now to find them," orders Stark, stepping towards where Thor can feel the pulsing magical energy belonging to the Mind Stone. "You can, can't you?"

"I don't know," Loki murmurs, body rigid. "Possibly."

No. No, Loki isn't going to do something if he could hurt him, but Thor can't speak to him openly – actually, he _can_. Taking a deep breath, he turns to face his brother. "Don't push yourself," Thor cautions, carefully checking that he's using only their native language. Midgardians don't know it, so there's so risk of anyone understanding what he's saying. "Please, brother. You must be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you."

Loki smiles faintly, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Is that concern I hear?" he teases, switching to the same language. "You have changed so much, brother."

Thor reaches out to clasp his brother's neck. "I have tried," he concedes, "But I fear it's not as much as I need to. All this – all this could have been avoided if I had –" Not for the first time, the guilt starts choking him, especially knowing what Loki has been through. Thor is the elder of the two. He should have been better, should have done something differently. He could have too, but he was too focused on himself. Maybe he still is.

"Hush." Loki shushes him with a fleeting touch to his arm. "I think you'll find you've changed more than you realize." He shakes his head quickly. "The Midgardians are right. I must use the Mind Stone to try and find their friends."

"Can you handle it?" Thor worries.

"I –" For the first time ever, Loki looks uncertain of himself. "I don't know," he whispers quietly. "I can't bear it. It's nauseating, but there is no other choice."

Resignation rushes through him. So be it. "Fine," Thor sighs, "I'm proud of you, brother, for doing this, even though I know you don't want to."

Loki ducks his head down for a moment, before his eyes flick up to meet Thor's, a hint of gratitude and warmth hidden in their depths. "I'll be right here the whole time," Thor assures him, bumping his brother's shoulder lightly.

"Done with the chit chat?" Stark questions flippantly, withdrawing the scepter from its holding case. "Here, Reindeer Games." He extends it to Loki, and Thor notes that Rogers looks far from happy, but clearly, he agreed that this is the best course of action. When he was talking to Loki, he'd been aware the others were conferring quietly, though he didn't stop to listen to them. "Play any tricks, and we'll restrain you."

Normally, Loki would make a joke, but he doesn't, eyeing the scepter with apprehension before reaching out to take it. "It will be alright," Thor promises softly, in their native language. Loki nods, thumb stroking the metal of the handle as the end of it begins to glow. Thor nearly shivers as the seidr washes over him. He wasn't trained to use it, but it's so powerful, that he knows even the Midgardians feel it, though they don't realize what it is.

At first, nothing happens. Loki remains rigid, fingers clenching the scepter hard enough that his knuckles are white. Thor shifts anxiously, keeping his shoulder pressed against his brother's, hoping to keep him grounded and away from his memories. "Is it working?" Stark asks hopefully. Rogers immediately shushes him, their eyes pinned on Loki.

Loki twitches suddenly, and for some reason, that kicks Thor's instincts into alert. "Brother?" he tries in a hushed voice, moving so he can see his brother's face. He's extremely pale, his gaze vacant, as though looking on something only he can behold. Thor carefully touches his brother's arm, and Loki violently flinches away from him.

"No." The word is so quiet that Thor doesn't think anyone else heard it, but there's so much horror and pain in it that it's like a knife to his heart. Never has he heard that kind of emotion in Loki's voice. "N-no," Loki stammers slightly louder, pressing himself against the wall behind him. "Don't. Please d-don't."

"Loki!" Thor hisses, desperately scanning his brother's face for any signs of recognition. "Brother, snap out of it. It's not real. You're _here_. You're safe." He forgets for a moment that there are others who can hear his words, but right now, it doesn't really matter.

Loki's eyes flash blue for a second, and then, he screams like he's being murdered. Thor forgets all rationality, reaching out frantically to draw Loki away from whatever the Mind Stone is showing him. As soon as he touches his brother, Loki lashes out, a flare of green seidr bursting from his hands, throwing Thor backwards.

"What's wrong with him?" demands Stark as Thor slams hard into the wall.

"Get it away from him!" Thor orders, rushing towards Loki undeterred. "Brother! _Loki!_ " He's practically screaming himself, but he doesn't care.

Loki is stammering unintelligible words, curling away from everyone around him. The sight of his brother all but cowering sends Thor into a rage. Lightning flashes outside nearly hitting the quinjet as Thor kneels next to his brother's body. "Thor," the whispered word is weak, almost inaudible above the resounding crash of thunder, but the pleading note isn't lost on Thor. How long had Loki begged for Thor while he was with Thanos?

"I'll hold him. Get the scepter out of his hands." Thor doesn't wait for them to reply, reaching out to grab Loki's shoulders and keeping himself away from his brother's hands. If he feels threatened, he'll lash out again, and that's the last thing they need.

At the last second, Thor clasps his brother's neck in the comforting gesture he's always used. Loki twitches, but this time doesn't rip himself away. Stark and Rogers move forward, grabbing onto the scepter and yanking it away from Loki. He lets go with little resistance, collapsing sideways against Thor. Thor immediately wraps his arms around his brother's shaking form, rubbing his back soothingly. "What happened?" Thor questions quietly.

Loki presses his face against Thor's chest, remaining silent, but Thor knows he heard. He'll answer as soon as he's ready. " _He_ has them," Loki mumbles. "I – I don't know if the plans have been changed. I don't know anything."

"We can't lose hope," Thor decides firmly after a momentary pause. "We can still do something." Glancing up, he sees a flicker of something – sympathy perhaps – on Rogers face. They know, or suspect at least, that Thor was telling the truth. Good. He hates to see them mistrusting his brother, not after everything.

"Go as fast as you can," Stark urges, turning towards the woman piloting the quinjet. Thor doesn't think they were ever introduced, but he doesn't really care. He'll find out her name in due time. For now, he's perfectly content to hold his brother.

Eventually, he slips into a light doze – he's not really tired physically, but emotionally, he's exhausted. When he awakens, it's to the sound of loud beeping. Loki jerks next to him, eyes flicking open. He pulls away, sitting up and scanning the quinjet. Thor shakes off lingering exhaustion as the woman answers what must be a communication of some sort.

"Agent Romanoff, we have a situation. The Helicarrier has been attacked. It's been stabilized, but we don't know what they're planning next." It's a man; his voice sounds strained.

"Alright," she replies. "We'll be there within an hour."

"Do better. We need you here," he insists.

"I can fly ahead," Stark offers. "It might help."

"I would also be willing," Thor adds, glancing at Loki. His emotions are carefully masked, but Thor can see a hint of apprehension in his eyes.

"It would be better," Loki says hesitantly. "If I was there, I could determine their next move."

Rogers looks displeased for some reason but nods. "You three can go ahead. I'll be arriving with Natasha." Ah. So that's her name. Natasha Romanoff. It's an odd name, just like all the ones on Midgard, but Thor shrugs it away.

Thor stands up, offering a hand to Loki, but he brushes it away, rising a bit unsteadily. Rogers hits a button and the back of the quinjet opens again. With one final look around, Stark pulls his helmet on and flies away. Loki grasps tightly onto Thor, and they, too, fly out towards their destination. While Thor doesn't know where they're going, he can see Stark ahead and follows the trail. Manhattan, he heard, but his knowledge of Midgardian cities is abysmal.

It's not long before a city comes into view on the horizon. "Thor," hisses Loki, sounding slightly breathless. "Brother, we need to go straight to it. No detours. I can feel the Tesseract. They're activating it. It's too late."

"No," Thor refutes, channeling his power so they fly faster, "It's _not_. We can still do something."

"We don't have the scepter," Loki explains with longsuffering patience. "With the portal open, only the scepter can breach the barrier to shut it down."

Thor growls under his breath. "Then, we can find out what the situation is," he decides. Any other words are immediately cut off when he sees a column shooting upwards towards the sky, ripping an opening to the Void. Its origin is at the top of the tallest building in the city. As they get closer, Thor can make out the word Stark on the side. Why would anyone want to put their name onto a building? It must be another strange Midgardian idea.

"Land there," Loki instructs, loosening his grip with one hand to briefly motion towards the top of the tower. Arching downwards, Thor lands heavily on the roof, eyes immediately going to the device. The energy is shooting upwards, keeping a steady portal open through which dozens of Chitauri are pouring through. The battle has begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you liked this maybe consider reviewing or leaving kudos...? :)
> 
> Also, the next chapter will be released next week (though it won't become a habit. Sorry.) :P


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